


The Ballad of Beta Ray Odinson

by gutterpigeon



Category: Thor (Comics), Thor (Movies)
Genre: AU, Adoption, Angst, Child Abuse, Cultural Differences, Culture Shock, Eventual Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, Minor Violence, PTSD, Suicide mention
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-09
Updated: 2014-11-16
Packaged: 2018-02-20 12:46:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2429339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gutterpigeon/pseuds/gutterpigeon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU in which Beta Ray Bill is found by a young Thor when he crash lands on Asgard, is adopted into the family, and learns how to be a child after serious abuse and neglect by his former caretakers. Starts angsty, but will hopefully lead in to fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Intruder

It had been a cloudy day too, not unlike the one on this strange planet, when Bill last saw his home planet with his own eyes. The eyes he was born with the first time. According to his sensors, it was far colder than he would be comfortable in, assuming he could still feel the chill in the same way. He couldn't.

It shouldn't bother him, really it shouldn't. Who _enjoys_ feeling the sharp, biting cold? No, the heat is what he had loved once. The hot rocks of communal basking grounds, warm and full bellies, soft chatter. He tries his best to remember it, sometimes he pretends the frozen faces resting in their capsules are simply dozing under the midday sun, and that his presence among them is quietly tolerated like before.

More alerts flooded his head, forcing him to get his mind back to the task at hand. The hull of his dear friend was badly damaged, most of the ship's guns were non functioning, and he needed material to patch up the large holes and repair the weapons before _they_ came. He peeked his head out of the hole and sniffed open mouthed at the unfamiliar green landscape, drawing in as much information as he could through his snout. Cold, moist, but the air was safe and would not harm what was left of his charges.

The force of the impact had another consequence, one more frightening than being stranded and vulnerable in this open alien meadow. Skuttlebutt, his dear friend, his only friend, had been speaking in an unfamiliar tone since they landed. No warmth, no love, just cold commands relayed to his mind or over her speakers. This was not the voice of the only friend who consoled him with soft words and recordings of old lullabies when he cried, _bellowed_ like the beast he now was, caked in blood and frightened after the first few battles of this mission when the violence was still new to him. The hollow voice of not-Skuttlebutt stated that an emergency reset was needed. The chances of the previous personality setting resurfacing? Slim. Not a priority at this time.

Bill was alone. His friend was dead. He would die too, alone, and he wasn't sure if the idea was terrifying or no longer existing was appealing. Like everything in this horrible body, every feeling was either dulled, amplified, or conflicted by foreign impulses. He couldn't trust himself. The only thing he could trust was his orders.

He finished repairing one of the more vital sections when familiar alarms started blaring. An intruder. Bill tossed down his tools and not-Skuttlebutt sent him the coordinates of the lone demon. It was odd, the demons nearly always strike in large packs. A shiver ran up the his spine, what kind of cunning and fierce monster could this be to be bold enough to work on it's own?

The smell hit him before he could see the creature. It smelled of flesh, demons eat flesh so that is no surprise, but another musty strange scent he could not identify also radiated from it. Organic for sure. Some alien animal. Dead, not fresh, but not rotten either. It was eerie.

The squeak of glass sent a jolt throughout his body, the demon must be clawing at one of the capsules for the sleeping defenseless person inside. In an instant he felt himself slip from nervous child to angry beast, charging madly at the intruder that dare touch his people. No, his _pack_. He knocked the thing away from the capsule with a backhanded swipe of his heavy clawed hand, and it went flying across the corridor with a shriek.

The demon was small, but he had fought smaller. What _was_ strange was the fiend seemed to be wearing clothing. Strange soft clothing, not the same color or texture as the fine dead-grass colored fluff on it's head, were the source of that musty undead smell. A piece of rubble smacked him in the nose and Bill snarled in surprise, the feral anger in him rising once more as he glared into the blue eyes of the defiant little monster armed with chunks of metal. It's harsh voice making sounds, it seemed like it was attempting to communicate, something he didn't think possible. A small signal in the corner of his vision he had been told about before but never had to use appeared, the ship's translator did indeed detect language and was attempting to make sense of it's foreign tongue, and an automated order to stand down flashed in his head. Bill pawed at the metal ground, scraping his hooved toes across the floor, impatient and uneasy with leaving this threat alive in his territory.

 _Smack_. Another small part of his fallen friend was flung at his muzzle. This time he would not spare the demon his full force of claws, and he roared as he slammed his hands down. It was a quick demon, but Bill managed to snag it's fluffy layer of clothing on his talons, ripping it from it's body. Up close the scent was unmistakable. 

The demon was wearing dried flesh. 

Frightened and horrified, Bill's mind raced, thinking of all the nefarious plans of torture the little demon had planned for him, for his people. He was thankful when the beast took control again. The beast wasn't afraid of the tiny predator, he was a bigger one. The thing wielded a sword, and it clanked uselessly against Bill's armor, even without it the force wouldn't have come close to piercing his thick hide. _It was weak._. 

He pounced, slamming the small body down and effortlessly pinning it to the floor with one hand. _Language identified: Asgardian_ flashed in his head, new words now rushed through his mind.

"S-stay down, demon", he felt the strange language escape his throat, along with thin strands of spittle he never could completely prevent when speaking. "You have pursued me only to find death! And when I am through with you, you will welcome it!"

Before he could crush it's tiny little ribcage , something sent him crashing like a ragdoll down the corridor . What was it? He whimpered, his sensors were so jumbled, he could barely tell which way was up. Pain wrecked his body as he laid curled up on the floor, lapping tenderly at now exposed holes in his hand where cables of his armor had connected to his flesh moments before, feeling it begin to repair itself only added to the agony.

The scientists in charge used to tell him that the procedure dulled his reaction to all pain stimuli, not just temperature, that the pain he thought he felt was just him overreacting and panicking like the dumb beast he was. Bill could not bring himself to believe that. He believed in most of the foul things they said, but his pain WAS real. 

They used to curse their luck, that of all the subjects, _he_ survived. They lured Bill in with promises of helping the cause, just like the brave soldiers all the young ones idolized! They left out that his role was to provide data, the soul transferring technology was nearly always fatal, and when it didn't kill the pain would torture the subject mad. He was to be practice, a disposable test. They lied to him then blamed _him_ for not dying as he was supposed to. Unprepared, unskilled, unworthy of receiving his sacrilegious and hideous new form of the most hated creature of Korbin's empire. The bodies were supposed to go to great warriors whose minds could handle the burden. Despite everything he begged to help, his family could not tolerate the shame upon seeing the mewling mess of a monster he had become and would not allow him to return as one of their own. Out of desperation the scientists had no choice but to entrust the monster-child with their lives as they fled their doomed planet. Further alterations had to be made to compensate for his lack of fighting experience, clouding his mind with the hated, bloodthirsty beast's primitive instincts he had come to both rely on and fear. Skuttlebutt had been vital in keeping them safe, she had been a friend, but she was gone. 

By the time he attempted to rise to his feet, a seemingly endless number of demon bodies piled on him, knocking him back down. No amount of snarling or wriggling or panicked kicking would dislodge them for very long. They were smart and strong, keeping his limbs pinned, but he made sure they'd not have such an easy time gaining control of his jaws. He managed to maul a few arms and ankles, feeling something like grim satisfaction when he smelled what must have been fear mixed in with the scent of their blood and sweat. He didn't know demons felt fear, but then again he never met this breed of skin wearing fiend. They wrapped chains around his muzzle, clamping it shut. He heard the sound of the ship's phasers shooting the intruders and the remaining drones trying their best to drive them off, but they knew how to deal with the technology and soon the guns grew silent. 

An imposing figure soon arrived, clad in gleaming armor and with a wild bush covering much of it's face, glaring fiercely at Bill, no fear in it's one visible eye. Only cold, intense scrutiny that somehow made him feel small. It picked up the smaller demon, spoke softly and sounded... concerned ? Demons don't concern themselves with the wellbeing of others.

 _These were not demons._

"Foul creature", it boomed, "you trespass on my land, you attack my son? My name is Odin, son of Bor, king of Asgard, and you will be shown _no_ mercy for your crimes."

Bill felt like a child again. No orders from the ship, the beast submitting and resigned to it's fate in the presence of the stronger creatures, it was almost as if it was just Bill in Bill's head . Weak. Helpless. The exhausted cyborg did not struggle against the grip of his captors . What would become of his people? He failed, they would all die because of him. He is bad. He is weak. He deserved death, almost wanted it, he is a dirty and wretched thing, but his people did not deserve to suffer.

A flash of yellow movement caught Bill's eye. The child, he had something. He felt a bleating, pathetic sob build in him that he could not stop as he realized what the boy child had. His solider. His little cloth soldier. The last thing he owned from his previous life, the only thing they let him keep. The scientists sneered and mocked him for being so attached to a toy, his hulking frame cradling the tiny thing was a pathetic sight, but it was _his_. The only thing that was HIS. He did not want to die without it. 

The only thing he could do was cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (In my headcanon, Korbinites are vaguely reptilian herbivores living in a hot climate and don't really have a need to hunt beyond killing predators, so wearing leathers and fur is completely foreign and spooky to Bill right now. It's about 60 degrees out, which for heat loving Korbinites is VERY cold. This BRB is more feral than 616 BRB.)


	2. The Doll

_It was...crying?_

Thor felt a pang of guilt. Creatures of all shapes and sizes made sounds of distress, even nasty and cruel ones will moan and whine when hurt. This was different. It wasn't thrashing like before, tossing soldiers left and right, he never saw a single beast his size require that many men to hold it down. Men that were now extremely tired, some with feet and hands horribly mangled. It was extremely strong. If it wanted to, it could surly take advantage and escape their grasps now. Why did it stop? 

The milky white eyes would have made it difficult to tell which way it was looking, Thor could not see anything that resembled a pupil, but it was obvious it was staring at him. The thing's skull-like face pointed in his direction, _crying at him._ He felt so guilty, like he was the most horrible person in the room and source of all of it's anguish, but he had done nothing wrong! 

Well, maybe it wasn't wise to rush off alone to inspect the source of the loud crash he heard earlier. Loki told him that they should not go near the large battleship, it wasn't safe. But Thor was brave, he would secure the wreckage before his father's men arrived, report any findings, maybe fight off a few scoundrels! Father would be so proud! He had scrambled up the large ship and into a massive room, filled from top to bottom with large glass capsules. They seemed to be covered with soot and moisture, obscuring the figures inside. Using the sleeve of his tunic he wiped clean a small section and peered in. It was an alien, sleeping and oblivious to his presence. Yellow-ish orange, hairless, with a smooth face, slim body with a slightly bulging midsection, no nose or ears that he could see. Not very threatening at all, and certainly not one of the more dangerous alien races he was taught about. 

Heavy hoofbeats echoed in the hall, and before he knew it he was slammed against a wall by something large and strong. The monster was tall, taller than his father even though it was slightly hunched over, it's top-heavy body was broad, massive, armored. Glowing eyes filled with hate. The exposed teeth and gums, muscular neck, and blank white eyes made it look like a nightmarish horse that had been skinned, but it sounded like no horse. The snarls were far more predatory and sinister.

Thor's sword was far away, so he grabbed the first thing he could find and launched it at the monster. He screamed, all the obscene words and phrases he was not allowed to utter in front of his parents, hoping he would scare it off. It looked at him with even more anger, but it stood it's ground for what seemed like an eternity, just staring. The brute didn't get the message.

Another hunk of rubble to the face made it explode with sound and motion, nearly catching him with it's gnarled and clawed hands, instead ripping off the fur he was wearing. It sniffed it and shrieked. Thor dove for his sword while it was distracted. The shrieks and whines turned once again into deep growls. He tried stabbing the most vulnerable looking part of it's red armor, but it didn't even flinch.

It was on him. He was on the floor and it was on him. The breath had been knocked from his lungs, the thing's huge fist held tight, squeezing what little air he had left out. It spoke, a low, guttural rumble that sounded at least partially artificial. Thor was too terrified to process what it said, and the world went black.

His father arrived when he awoke, the soldiers soon had the creature contained, and he was chastised and told to head home immediately. Thor was relieved to come out of this mostly unscathed, just bruised and sore, and looked around for some sort of trophy to take back to Loki and Sif. He couldn't believe his luck, slightly buried under bits of mangled metal and modeled after the smaller sleeping aliens, a rag doll! It was a fine prize! 

That's went the monster begun _crying_. And now they were staring at each other once more, but the fire in it's eyes were completely extinguished. It looked miserable. It's cries were half animal moans, half something that made no sense coming from a beast. Begging sobs, like a _child_. Far deeper in tone, interrupted by snorts and distressed whimpers that you'd expect to hear, but it was uncanny how much it could wail like a babe. Everyone was unsettled by the haunting cries, the men confused, unsure what to make of it. Father was quiet. It was too tense. Thor felt so ashamed, accused of some terrible injustice . He turned to leave, he couldn't stand the mournful pleas any longer.

This proved to be the wrong move, as the creature's tone became louder, more frantic, and the men gasped and grunted in surprise. It must have been moving around again. Thor reluctantly turned around, and it stopped wriggling as quickly as it started. It went almost silent apart from it's audible panting. If Thor's presence was so terrible, why did it not want him to leave?

"Son," the All-Father said wearily, "give it the doll."

"The doll? Why would it...?"

"Do as you are told, Thor."

The young prince inched his way forward, wary of the monster's intentions. It was still, eyes wide, breathing heavily.

"Is this yours...?"

It raised it's great snout and groaned softly.

"Do you want it?"

Another groan. Higher pitched, impatient, it reminded him of his younger brother when being teased during a game of keep away.

Thor stepped closer. He held out the toy, letting it dangle by one arm, and with no other real option simply dropped it on the long set of jaws. Instantly the creature began sniffing wildly like a hound at the doll draped on the end of it's nose, making contented chuffs and croaks. 

A bit of tension drained from the room, a few men chucked in relief, a few poked fun at the odd and childish brute, a few praising the young prince's braveness. Something didn't sit right with Thor. Clearly the monster was no longer upset, and at the moment it seemed compliant, allowing the soldiers to finally shackle it's thick limbs properly, making no move to resist. But...his father. 

His father was no doubt going to punish it, he said so himself. But how? Beasts that are vicious are put down, and it didn't seem like a beast. Not _completely_. Nor did it seem like a scheming enemy of Asgard. The cargo, hundreds of sleeping people, they hardly seemed like an invading army. He wasn't sure it deserved to be put through anything that would make it experience whatever wild emotions that caused the shameless bawling. 

This _was_ a child, Thor concluded. Not in body, but somehow in spirit if such a thing was possible. It was obvious, in his expert opinion. Some of his best friends were children and....alright, _maybe_ he was still one too. Surely his father wouldn't be too harsh on a child?

The Odinson's pondering was interrupted when the startling screech of a large, damaged metal door opening filled the long hall, revealing colorful robed figures headed their way. The aliens had been roused from their slumber. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I forgot to mention, Thor is roughly around the Asgardian equivalent of 11 or 12. Bill is slightly younger, the Korbinite equivalent of 10. His species probably ages at a rate similar to humans, so is not hundreds of years old like Thor. In his cyborg body that is essentially immortal he will probably mentally age/mature only slightly faster than an Asgardian)


	3. Korbinites are assholes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (warning: some abuse and PTSD stuff up ahead)

The aliens' attentions suddenly shot to the end of the long hallway, hearing the damaged ship stir and the approaching sound of....footsteps?!

His people! They did not know of the danger they were walking into! Bill prayed it wasn't one of the elderly, or worse, one of the young. Even if they feared him terribly, hated him with just as much if not _more_ passion and cruelty than the adults, he found himself drawn to them still. He missed having playmates. In his new unholy form he longed for company, more than he thought was possible. Skuttlebutt's disembodied voice satisfied some of his cravings for friendly companionship, but not the beast's. The beast was many terrible things, but worst of all it was _constantly_ lonely.

 _"What is the meaning of this?! Beta Ray Bill, why are you not tearing these demons limb from limb?"_ , an angry voice rang out in his own tongue. 

Bill was simultaneously relieved and filled with dread to hear it was the Imperial Leader. His failure being witnessed by none other than the highest ranking noble. _Great_. He felt himself wanting to sink into the floor, be sucked into space, _anything_ but exist right now. At least he wasn't able to see his Leader behind him in this defeated position.

_"Y-you...you let yourself be captured?! Fool, look what you've done, you've doomed us all! I hope you are happy, stupid beast, after all we've done this is how you repay those who gave you life!? Enough lives have been lost on your watch, when will you be satisfied? When we are EXTINCT?"_

Bill choked back a sob, scraping his face against the floor repeatedly, unable to stay still with all the shame that ate at him from the inside out. He let _everyone_ down. He was so _bad_.

_"I hope the filthy demons save you for last."_

"Keep using that word, Korbinite," boomed the one called Odin,"and I'll make you wish we were mere demons. Now would you care to explain what you cowards are doing in Asgard?"

It took a moment for the ship to translate for the Imperial Leader, and in that time Bill wordlessly asked the ship for information about Asgard. The people of Korbin were aware of life on other planets, they were too advanced technologically not to, but tried to have as little to do with the heathens as possible. If it's not of Korbin, of the Imperial Church, it was unnatural and wrong. Interacting with aliens led to death and destruction. Not-Skuttlebutt sent him all the information available instantly, certain phrases standing out to him and echoed in his head. **Extremely powerful. Bloodthirsty. Especially blasphemous. Do not engage. If engaged, do not upset.**

And what had Bill gone and done? He attacked the son of the fierce and feared leader of this dangerous heretic race. How was it possible for one being to screw up _everything_ this badly? It was almost impressive. Maybe his true calling wasn't to protect, but to soil and destroy everything he touched. 

"I-I-I did not mean...I mean...," the Imperial Leader stuttered when he realized whose presence he was in. This was the first time the cyborg heard him this humbled, this scared. "I had no idea, my apologies your majesty! Please forgive me, take pity on a weary traveler!"

" _Enough_ , you are still breathing, are you not? My patience grows thinner by the second. I asked you a question, do not make me ask twice."

And so the Imperial Leader explained everything. How the demons came, at first once a week, in small droves, but soon became a daily bloodbath. How drastic measures had to be taken, unholy genetic engineering temporarily allowed to attempt to create soldiers that could fight off demons, but it was unsuccessful, apart from one _mistake_. The beloved sun grew unstable overnight and threatened to destroy everything, the only choice was to gather up the survivors, find a new suitable planet. Korbin was swallowed up a few days after they left, but the demons followed, not something the fleet was prepared for. Food grew scarce, civilians were put into deep sleep to conserve resources, and soon the rest, only the beast was left awake to guard and repair the ships. It was difficult, many lives lost, whole ships destroyed. A few ships were still making their way to their destination, but without the protection of the downed Skuttlebutt and the cyborg they are surely doomed.

Odin was especially interested in the demons, he seemed to be familiar with them and their source. He was also curious about Bill, and ordered the scientists who worked on his 'creation' to be woken in order to ask more specific questions. 

Bill did not like the scientists. He did not like their voices, their scent. He did not even enjoy having to pass their sleeping bodies when he patrolled Skuttlebutt. He did not want to hear those voices tell Odin what they did in that cold and clinical way as if it was nothing more than simple assembly instructions. He could smell them when they were brought to the Asgardian, he couldn't see them but he could SMELL them. It was just like when he was reborn. Their sharp scent was the first thing besides the agonizing pain to greet him. Being restrained, near _them_. Not again. 

He didn't even notice he was crying, not until the boy sat down on the ground in front of him and put his soldier back on his snout once more, it had fallen off earlier. The prince seemed confused when this didn't work a second time. Bill appreciated the gesture and felt guilty that he could not stop sobbing, but not even his soldier would protect him, not from them.

"What is it now?", the boy asked, looking concerned.

"The abomination still has not grown out of it's little temper tantrums, eh?", one of _them_ laughed.

"You didn't miss us, Beta Ray? Did absence not make your heart grow fonder? I'm hurt.", another added sarcastically.

Footsteps.

They were getting closer.

That alone was enough to send Bill into a panic, bellowing madly and fighting the shackles, writhing on the floor.

"STOP IT! STAY BACK!", the boy ordered. "Father make them stop, he's scared!"

"That's enough, pestering the creature when it is down is inhumane, and it's giving me a headache."

Odin looked him straight in the eye, Bill expected to see anger, but as far as he could tell the alien was more pensive than anything else, face softer than before. It eased his fears slightly.

"If I was to remove the chains Beta Ray Bill, would I have your word that you will behave?"

He nodded, still sniffling.

Odin made a gesture, and one of the armored aliens approached him, unlocking his feet first, then freeing his massive arms. He stretched, yelped when he felt the loud cracks of his shoulders and some of his vertebra snapping back in place, and shifted his heavy body into the same sitting position as the small boy in front of him.

"Do you need help?", the prince chirped, seemingly unafraid .

Bill tilted his head slightly and gave a small chuff of confusion, not sure what he was referring to.

"Your _mouth_ , silly!"

Oh. Right. His muzzle was still clamped shut. 

Before he could rip them off himself, the boy shot up and begun unwrapping the chains, not concerned about getting his tiny fingers so near his sharp teeth. It took a few tries, in his enthusiasm he accidentally tightened and tangled them further, but eventually he got it right.

"Better?"

Bill rubbed his snout and nodded.

"....thank you."

"Thank you, _Thor_."

"My name is not Thor."

"No," the prince giggled," that's _my_ name."

"Oh," he said bashfully," y-yes, of course. Thank you Thor."

Odin cleared his throat.

"I have made my decision. A few of my troops shall provide protection and escort your remaining ships. The demons are a common enemy, and something we will have to face once more since your presence will no doubt bring them here. We know how to deal with them."

"Oh, _your majesty_! Thank you, thank you! We had not expected such kindness, you truly are a great and kind king!", the Supreme Leader's honeyed words were not entirely insincere, which was surprising since the Leader hated aliens with a passion. Part of Bill was almost proud of his Leader for accepting outside help.

"Will you let me continue, Korbinite?"

Supreme Leader had been prattling on and on, but hushed immediately.

"In exchange for our help, I will take custody of the cyborg to do with as I see fit."

Bill snorted in surprise and turned around, startled and caught off guard by the words. He....he thought, _hoped_ , that Odin wasn't as mad at him now that he understood what happened. What kind of torture did he have in store for him? What cruel, alien punishments? He looked to his Leader, surely he would come up with some alternative? They _needed_ him. He needed them.

"I-I don't know what to say. That's...well. I mean...do you intend to punish him?"

"I intend to do with him _as I see fit._ "

The Supreme Leader went quiet. He returned Bill's gaze for a few fleeting seconds before turning his attention back to the imposing Asgardian. 

"Yes. Absolutely, your majesty. You'd be doing us a favor."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I'm not really going to make this a fic with lots of war, so the source of the demons is just going to be ambiguous. Is it Surtur? Something else? I'm not sure I just want to write fluff...and I'm kind of failing at that >>.)


	4. Bye Bye Beta Ray Baby

Thor was so angry. How could he just...after all Beta Ray Bill did for him, for his people? Just give him up like that? Then again, it wasn't all that surprising. His father was right, these aliens were cowards. 

"B-but...Imperial Leader, p-please...you _can't_...", the unnaturally deep voice of the alien boy faltered.

"Oh, are trying to tell me what I can and can't do, abomination?"

"No! No, sir...," he clutched his doll to his chest and inched closer, huge body hunched low like a scolded dog."I am supposed to protect everyone, I promised! I _have_ to!"

"PFFT. Is that what you call protection? Mass murder ?"

"There were so many...I couldn't...it was my fault, but..."

"But what? You are _sorry_? Sorry means _nothing_. We should never have placed our trust in a dim witted monster."

The young prince was growing less and less fond of the alien king every time he opened his mouth. He was so ungrateful. He said the nastiest things, expected way too much, gave him not so much as the tiniest bit of appreciation, and yet the cyborg did not want to leave his side?

"...have to protect you...", Beta Ray Bill said in between sobs. 

"If you _really_ wanted to act in our best interests you'll do exactly as the good king says. Would you rather we not have their expert aide? Would you prefer the others to perish in space, torn limb from limb by demons?"

He shook his head, sinking lower onto his knees and not looking the Leader in the eye.

"It's settled, my men will be sent out immediately." His father bent down slightly, like he did when speaking gently with him and Loki, and addressed the hunched cyborg directly. "Beta Ray Bill, I give you my word, your kind is in good hands." 

And so the task of repairing the ship began. Engineers arrived, injured men prepared to head back to be healed, and Odin was planning with the Imperial Leader and the men who would be in charge of escorting the Korbinites. Beta Ray Bill sat quietly, he had helped a bit earlier, but he seemed to not have the heart to work for long and removed himself to an isolated corner. Thor found him there, cradling his toy.

"My father says it's time for us to go, Beta Ray...is it all right if I call you just Beta? Bill?"

"Call me whatever you wish."

"But which do you prefer?"

"I guess...Bill is fine, your majesty."

"Well, like I said Bill, Father wants us. Do you need help packing your things?"

He simply held out his doll.

"Oh."

The silence was awkward, and so Thor held out his hand to help the cyborg up. Logically he knew that he wouldn't be much of a help at all, but it seemed the right and friendly thing to do. 

Bill stared at it, then looked up at him. Thor was fairly certain he could tell when the cyborg was angry or scared, but he wasn't so sure about the more subtle expressions. 

Thor offered his hand again. This time Bill leaned his snout in and sniffed at his palm, careful not to bump his permanently exposed teeth against his hand, and made a sort of barely audible rumbling sound. Not _exactly_ what Thor expected, but it seemed to do the trick. Bill stood up, waiting for him to lead the way.

As they weaved in between the workers and piles of rubble Thor spotted a few figures bundled up in warm clothing. The Korbinite scientists? Bill was walking much closer and breathing heavier, so they must have been.

"No goodbye then, beast?"

"Be careful with that monster, young one, don't let your guard down. He's not safe. We should really make sure he's properly secured for the king. I'm sure we packed some of the old equipment, we'd be happy to retrieve it for you!"

Bill was getting more and more uncomfortable with the way the conversation was headed, huffing nervously at the mention of whatever tools they had stored away. These cowards were just as bad as the Imperial Leader, maybe even worse. It was obvious that they had to have done terrible things to him, and the prince didn't want anything to do with them.

Thor was about to respond with a very clever and colorful suggestion of where they should shove their equipment when the small pile of debris he had been standing on shifted, sending him tripping backwards onto his behind. It was nothing really, hurt his pride more than anything, but the bruises did make the fall sting more than usual and he cursed a little.

"Oh, dear prince, are you alright?!", cried one scientist.

"Are you hurt?! Here, let me you up and we'll check you out! ," cried another.

"It's ok, I'm fine really!"

They came towards him anyways, reaching out to pick him up, but did not get very close before an angry roar stopped them dead in their tracks. Thor looked up to see Bill leaning over him, gaping jaws opened and growling a clear warning at the other Korbinites. 

"How dare you!? Insolent creature, stand down!"

Bill did not budge.

One of them walked closer, glaring, arms on his hips like one of Thor's tutors when she was cross.

"Beta Ray Bill, do you actually _want_ to be punished before you leave, for old time's sake? I'm touched. Now _move_."

His threat worked, the click of hooves taking a few steps back signaling he was backing down.

"See, was that so hard? Now, let's get you fixed up little princ--", he was cut short by a large clawed hand to the face. 

"Don't touch," the cyborg snarled.

While the alien uselessly swatted at the fist that engulfed his head, screams muffled, Bill used his other hand to gently lift Thor up by the scruff of his tunic and back onto his feet.

"Thank you, Bill. I think you can let him go now."

The other alien had been screaming bloody murder, trying to get someone to help get the cyborg off his colleague. Most of the men ignored him once they saw the prince was in no danger and continued with their work. Bill growled, then let go like the scientist was a hot stove.

"Y-you...YOU...TREASON! This is an act of TREASON!", the now freed alien exclaimed, trying to catch his breath.

Poor Bill was nervous again, he kept looking over at the open doors of the ship that led to the outside, like he expected the Imperial Leader and his father to come in and punish him. Thor wasn't going to have that.

"Korbinite, don't speak a word of this to my father or your king, or I'll tell them you ignored my direct order."

The aliens looked shocked.

"But, your highness..."

"If either of you mention this, I'll have your heads," Thor bluffed, he didn't have that kind of power, but they didn't know that. "This _never_ happened."

Bill mumbled a quiet thanks.

The pair left the stunned Korbinites, and found the All Father outside with the Imperial Leader, who was bundled up from head to toe in colorful, puffy robes. 

"Are you ready? Said your goodbyes, beast?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Obey the king, our lives depend on it. And remember, whatever happens, _you had it coming_."

Thor reached for the cyborg's hand, wrapping his own around one of the massive fingers, knowing he must be frightened. Honestly, Thor was nervous too. He had no idea what his father was going to do to the boy, but he knew better than to question Odin's motives right now. Bill kept his head low, expression unchanged, and gently squeezed Thor's much smaller hand back as he guided him to the large gilded wagon waiting for them. 


	5. Separation Anxiety

Bill watched as the empty shell of his former friend grew smaller and smaller. The ship completely cut ties with him earlier by order of the Imperial Leader, sending him no information, no objectives, nothing. He found it hard to work with no instructions, around so many strangers so close to the sleeping Korbinites. He wanted to lash out, part of him was angry and wanted to chase them all off. Without orders to stand down, if they riled him up, he just might have. Thor was thankfully able to stop him from injuring the scientists when a pent up wave of rage hit. He liked Thor. 

Once the wreck was hidden by the huge trees Bill was too tired to cry, but found it difficult to stop the beast from fruitlessly calling to it's lost territory and pack. Being away from them _hurt_. The deep bellows upset the animals pulling the wagon, especially when other unseen things in the forrest joined the chorus. He had to stop, the exasperated driver explained, or the creatures wouldn't pull. 

The sheer abundance of green plant life was overwhelming. They had forests on Korbin, but nothing like this. The smell of moisture and plant and alien creatures was so heavy and strange and cold. Under other circumstances he might have enjoyed it, but now the unfamiliar atmosphere just smothered him with it's newness. In this body, he had really only known Skuttlebutt as home. He felt so lost.

"It's going to be alright, Bill." Thor squeezed his hand, trying to get his attention.

"...can't really see how."

"Father...if Father was really mad, you'd know it. I'll tell Mother everything, she wouldn't let anything bad happen to a child!"

Bill snorted, what mother could possibly believe he was a child? His own didn't.

Thor kept trying to keep him talking. If he was talking, he couldn't call. He found speaking a little awkward, being quiet was more natural for him he quickly learned that quiet meant less trouble from the scientists, but Bill tried his best to be cooperative. The warriors riding with them also attempted to help, asking the occasional question. They must have been eager to return home and didn't want to be delayed any further. They couldn't have actually been interested in what he had to say. He felt awful for being such a bother.

Once the tall spires of the city peeked over the trees, they began passing other travelers. Most of them used those large herbivores to ride on or pull loads. They didn't seem to like Bill's presence all that much. He didn't blame them. He might not have ever properly eaten flesh, but he was fully capable of doing so, and the animals could tell.

"What are they?" Bill pointed slowly at the creatures, trying not to spook them with fast movement.

"Oh, them? Those are horses."

That word sounded familiar. He thought earlier he heard the word hoarse thrown around by the Asgardians back at the wreck, saying he was a hoarse monster or had a hoarse faced. Bill thought they meant his voice and appearance was rough and unpleasant to the ears and eyes.

These animals were covered in what Thor called fur, some parts short and others draping and shaggy . They had thick lips, large nostrils at the end of their snouts. Swiveling antenna at the tops of their head, he could recognize the positioning of them was a form of communication. Their limbs were thin and ended in a single hoof. They smelled of dirt and grass, obviously herbivores. He did not see the resemblance.

"I do not look like a horse." Bill mumbled to himself.

The driver and warriors choked back laughter. Apparently they disagreed.

"Maybe just a _little_ , Bill. But horses are noble and handsome creatures, we like them a lot, don't we?!"

The men were all quick to agree with the young prince, telling him stories about their favorite horses. They didn't need to try and spare Bill's feelings, he knew he was hideous, but it was nice that they cared enough to lie .

Soon the trees cleared, and the full majesty of the city was revealed. It was beautiful. Shining. Golden. It hardly seemed real. The cobbled streets bustled with aliens vending food and goods, children screeching and chasing one another, warriors gathered and laughing together. Or fighting. Or both. Asgardians were much more rowdy than what he was used to, it was hard to tell the difference.

It didn't take long for them to take notice of Bill. A few whispers, a few drunken jeers. Most just seemed curious. They asked the prince about him, but Thor ignored them and continued to point out landmarks for him.

The attention was beginning to become tiresome, there was little Bill could do to hide from view, but they reached the main palace and the crowds were kept out. It was huge, grand, and made Bill feel very strange and out of place. The wagon stopped, and Thor shot up and over the side.

"Wait here, okay? I'll go get my mother, she'll know what to do!"

Bill was even more nervous when Thor left. He was gone for minutes, and Bill begun calling for him, anxious about everything in this new land. The men could not calm him. He held on closer to his soldier while he paced back and forth, and whining quietly, not caring if Odin's warriors saw him seeking comfort from his toy.

A black creature swooped in and landed on cart. It startled Bill, but the men were not frightened of the small winged thing, they nodded to it and it returned the motion. He bent down, sniffing at the bold animal. Every part of it was black. Black beak, black eyes, shiny black...leaves? Not hair, not scales, but leafy things. 

It croaked and pecked his nose with it's heavy beak, and before he could be sad about upsetting the creature it hopped up on his snout and began to preen itself. The longer he sat still, the more often it would pause to nibble at Bill's skin. Being groomed felt so _good_. He instinctively knew grooming was good, the beast craved social touch constantly, but this was the first time he really received it. He rumbled in approval and his short, bony tail lazily swung from side to side whenever it expertly pecked and scraped all the right spots.

"I see you've met Huginn," a soft voice echoed, "I think he likes you."

It croaked once more and flew off. Bill gave a disappointed sigh, he could have sat there for hours getting preened, and looked in the direction it headed, where the voice came from. 

Thor had returned with another Asgardian, this one dressed in long robes, hair curled and worn up, and smelled of herbs and spices. The black creature was perched on her shoulder. This must be his mother. 

Bill caught himself staring at her for a few awkward moments, completely forgetting his manners. He had no idea about how to properly greet the queen, how could he not have asked beforehand? He was supposed to be making a good impression. He felt so stupid and lowered his large head in an exaggerated bow, copying the warriors and staring at the floor, hoping his ignorance would be forgiven. 

"Hello Beta Ray Bill, it is very nice to meet you. My name is Frigga, queen of this realm, and I am very pleased that you'll be staying with us."

 _Staying with them?_ That was an odd way of saying he'll be imprisoned. In fact, she sounded very...genuine. The scientists would often use sarcasm, and that wasn't it. Maybe Asgardians had a different sounding sort, maybe that's why he's not picking up on it.

"Thank you, your highness. Is it...would it be ok for Thor to visit me? Hugin too? I promise I'll be good."

"Visit you? Visit you where, Bill?"

"My cell."

Bill looked up, her lips were curving upwards, something he figured out was usually a positive thing in their body language. Did this mean she would grant him that request?

"No, dear, you won't be staying in a cell. You are not a prisoner. You've committed no crime that was not a result of misunderstanding."

The cyborg tilted his head and looked to Thor, who was also smiling.

"Bill, you are going to be _staying with us!_ "

He still didn't understand, but Thor rushed towards him and held out his hand. Bill took it, rising slowly, and followed him and the queen into the impossibly beautiful palace.


	6. Mi Casa Es Su Casa

Mother had been just as understanding as he hoped, Thor was relieved. Huginn had reached the palace before them, telling the queen a similar story. Whatever Father had in store, it didn't involve his new friend being punished, and he couldn't wait to share the news!

A plaintive roar echoed across the palace, Bill started up again.

"Is that him?" His mother's face slightly concerned as she peered out of one of the enormous windows, trying to get a look.

"Aye," he sighed as he joined the queen, "he really _is_ a boy, Mother."

They could see him far below, a huge, vividly colored body pacing and rocking the wagon with each step would be hard to miss. The men were trying to calm him down, but to no avail. He needed Thor.

As they headed down to welcome the cyborg, the cries died down. Had one of the warriors been able to relax him? Was he ok? The silence was almost suspicious.

It was Huginn. The raven had made himself comfortable on Bill's great snout, poking and prodding at him like the bird brothers often did at rest, cleaning each others feathers or occasionally the hair of those they liked, Thor included. Bill had no feathers, nor any hair, but he basked in the attention all the same. He looked almost like a giant featherless hatchling bird, but purred like a bear sized kitten. 

Once they were introduced Thor led him by one of his massive hands, eagerly telling Bill about everything he was going to show him. His room, his weapons, his friends! They could have so much fun, imagine what they could do with Bill around? He tugged on his arm, trying to get him to quicken his lumbering gait through the large hall.

"Thor, darling, why such haste? Our guest has had a long and no doubt taxing day, let him get acquainted with our home at his own pace."

Ugh. She was right. He wasn't pleased about it, but she was right. Bill was ill at ease, even his usual sniffing was curiously absent, and was vacantly staring downwards. He did not look like someone ready to play. 

His mother held out a graceful hand. Bill leaned forward, his muzzle almost reaching her palm, but must have remembered that outstretched hands were not an offer to get acquainted with one's scent and stopped himself. The queen would have found that endearing, Thor almost wished he had.

"Young one, perhaps it is best if we start small. Would you care to see your chambers? Come, you can rest there for as long as you need." She offered her hand again, and this time Bill gingerly accepted it. 

They crossed the hall into the guest wing, the younger chambermaids tried in vain to hide their shock at the sight of bared teeth and armored bulk. Every startled shriek and hurried apology made Bill flinch, skulking closer and closer to the nearest wall, as if it could make him less noticeable. The queen allowed him to make the slight detour, keeping by his side as he hugged the perimeter.

A guard opened the double doors to one of the guest chambers, a warm and welcoming room with a large bed that could easily fit someone of the cyborg's stature, filled with soft textiles and thick furs. It wasn't the most extravagant, the palace had far more ornate rooms, but it was sure to be an improvement from that austere and sterile ship. 

When the doors shut, leaving just the three of them in privacy, Bill became ever so slightly more animated, swiveling his head and snuffling in the safer surroundings. Thor pulled him to the center of the room and sat on the cushy bed.

"Do you like it? Sit! It's really comfortable!"

Bill hesitated, but then lowered himself down onto the floor, feeling the fibers of the plush carpet with an open palm.

"Aye, it is very soft."

"I meant the bed, Bill!" Thor patted the open space beside him on the mattress. "Up here!"

"...am I allowed, your majesty?" He asked the queen in as small a voice he could manage.

"It is your bed for as long as you are with us, of course you may lay in it. In fact, I insist." 

The bed didn't so much as groan under the added weight of the alien. Bill traced the patterns of the woven textiles with a single finger, poked at the generous pile of pillows, and combed his claws through the dense pelts as if he was petting a living animal.

"This...I don't understand." He drew his knees to his chest, balling himself up . "I do not deserve any of this. I was to be punished. I should be _punished_."

"That is not true!" Thor shouted, he was almost offended by the statement on his behalf , how could he possibly believe that?

Bill buried his face in his thick arms, mumbling something in reply that shifted into choked sobs. Mother was by his side in an instant.

"I know it must be strange, young one, but believe me when I say that you have done nothing wrong. None of this is your fault." She paused, expression full of warm concern, Thor knew that look well. "May I remove your helmet?"

Bill nodded, not bothering to look up.

She felt around the edges of the stubborn headgear after it refused to budge until she found the release point. A whirring sound and the yelp that followed could have only meant one thing, the helmet had been anchored _into his head_. Blood trickled down from the holes in his thick skin.

"Please forgive me! I did not realize...how could anyone do this?"

The open wounds had already begun healing, soon disappearing completely, leaving only the drying streams of blood. Using a handkerchief dipped in a nearby pitcher of water she began to delicately dab the blood away. He flinched at first, shying from her touch, but stilled when she spoke softly to him. Thor wanted to help too, so he dipped his sleeve in the cool water, doing his best to wipe clean the other side of his head. He wasn't as efficient as his mother, and maybe he was a little rough, but Bill didn't seem to mind the elbow grease, even leaning _into_ his hand when he scrubbed with extra force.

"Is that better, dear?", she asked as she folded up the dirty cloth.

He nodded, opening his mouth to speak but then changed his mind and looked away bashfully. Before either of them could ask what was the matter, Bill bowed his head as close to the queen's shoulder as he could get without touching her. She smiled, accepting the invitation to continue petting his long face. He half closed his eyes, steadily purring like he had done with his father's raven.

"Thor," she whispered while scratching the hollow of his temple, "please inform the tailors that our guest will need to be fit for more comfortable attire."

Bill's armor was rather beat up and dented from the earlier scuffle, and it was obvious it was not designed with his comfort in mind. He worried that other parts of it were bolted onto his flesh like his helmet had been and made a mental note to remember to ask them to bring plenty of towels and a basin of warm water just in case.

The prince left his new friend in the care of his mother while he set out to summon the head tailor. There were more staff than usual hanging around outside the door, curious about the alien visitor. He ignored them, and passed his message to the old woman and her seamstresses in the one of the palace's many ateliers.

Halfway back from the workspace a voice called out, his younger brother.

"Thor! Have you seen mother? I was to meet her in the library, but she did not show..."

He told Loki the entire story of what went on in the alien wreck, adding a few embellishments in his favor when describing his nearly one sided battle with Beta Ray of course. His brother would love him, they'd get along well! Or he hoped they would. Both were rather quiet, but Bill didn't appear to enjoy speaking all that much while Loki had a silver tongue. That actually worried him, his brother could be a bit, well, _very_ mischievous. He wasn't sure that any pranks would be well received by the already nervous boy armed with teeth and claws and enough strength to maim fully grown Asgardian soldiers.

"Loki, there will be no tricks on him, do you swear? He is in no state to be bothered by your silly games, you will behave yourself or else just let my friend be, understood?"

Loki looked hurt, pouting up at him. Thor felt a pang of guilt, but this was a serious matter, he didn't want either of them getting hurt.

"Aye brother, understood." He left, sulking down a smaller corridor. 

Was he too harsh on him? Did he unfairly and prematurely chastise him? The young prince thought heavily on this as he neared the cozy guest room.

A familiar angry screech followed by a startled bellow and clatter of armor gave him his answer, but raised a new question: _What in the nine realms did the little fiend do?_


End file.
